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Promising sensation Nestory Irankunda scored for the consecutive game in a row, while goalkeeper Paul Izzo delivered a stellar display to lead the Socceroos to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Canada.

Fixture Summary

Following a slow first half controlled by the hosts, the Socceroos improved with the introduction of second-half substitutes Jordy Bos, Lewis Miller, and Patrick Yazbek. It was Irankunda who made the difference in the 71st minute.

Keeper Paul Izzo, selected in place of captain Maty Ryan, produced several stops, including a brilliant effort to deny Jacob Shaffelburg in the 90th minute, securing Australia's seventh-straight victory.

NESTOR IRANKUNDA SCORES AUSTRALIA IN FRONT IN MONTREAL! 🔥

🇨🇦 0 - 1 🇦🇺

Notable Moments

• In the third minute, Tajon Buchanan charged into the box, but captain Alessandro Circati executed a perfectly timed challenge to clear the threat.
• Shortly later, Irankunda beat two opponents and passed to Max Balard, whose attempt was deflected.
• Throughout the opening 45 minutes, the Australians found it difficult to maintain possession, with Buchanan creating problems on the right flank.
• Even with dominance from Canada, the disciplined Socceroos defense held firm, limiting chances before the break.

Second Half Improvement

Early into the second period, Irankunda went on a wonderful dribble, beating Derek Cornelius and firing the ball toward the goal, where Mohamed Toure missed his attempt.

Changes in the 57th minute brought instant impact, with Irankunda capitalizing on a poor pass and finding Toure, who shot off target.

Soon after, Miller sent in a precise ball to Yazbek, who backheeled toward Circati, but the skipper shot over the bar.

In the 70th minute, following a scramble in the box, the Australians cleared the situation.

Winning Moment

Moments later, Connor Metcalfe released Toure on the wing, and the forward pulled the ball back into a promising area.

As a Canadian player dithered, Irankunda slid in from the blind side to score his third strike.

Final Action

Although unable to add a another, the team were rescued by Izzo's late saves.

Tempers boiled over in injury-time, leading to Irankunda getting a booking and taken off amid a fracas.

In a spiteful conclusion, the Australian defense and Izzo stood their ground to seal the result.

Looking Ahead

With already qualified for the next global tournament, the Socceroos are intensifying their readiness with warm-up matches against Canada and the United States, with a fixture set in Colorado on Wednesday.